The transformation of Barracks Row

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson selected the site of Eighth and I Streets SE as the first post for the Marine Corps to help protect the Navy Yard and U.S. Capitol.

{mosads}As Washington developed, so did the Barracks Row neighborhood, despite some setbacks, including the riots of 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. There was so much looting many shop owners never returned. 

Over the past few years that all changed, however. Dennis Bourgault, president of Chateau-Animaux, a pet store on Barracks Row, had been operating on Seventh Street SE across from Eastern Market for more than 10 years.

“We had outgrown our space there, and I was on the Board of Directors for CHAMPS, Capitol Hill’s Chamber of Commerce,” Bourgault said. “I knew that Barracks Row was going to be renovated under a Main Street project.”

Bourgault added that he felt Barracks Row would likely be the place to be on the Hill once the renovation of the streetscape was complete. “We took a chance and invested in property on Barracks Row,” he said.

According to Bourgault, Barracks Row has changed tremendously throughout the past five years. Many of his customers (most of which are neighbors) comment on the changes to the area.

“On the whole, it seems most are pleased with the cleaner, safer street,” Bourgault said. “However, there are those who do not like how the street has developed into ‘restaurant row.’ ”

When Chateau-Animaux moved to Eighth Street, they expanded their retail store and the services they offer, including grooming, a self-service dog wash and a delivery service.

“In the next several years I think we will see the street settle down in terms of the rather dramatic changes we’ve experienced over the past several years,” Bourgault said. “We will see changes on the two anchors of Barracks Row, as Hine Junior High and the Eastern Market Metro Plaza are redeveloped to the north of Barracks Row, and the blue castle and former Miles Glass space are developed on the southern end.”

Bourgault hopes the changes the area is seeing now will help small businesses succeed in the long run while keeping the area unique.

Bourgault wasn’t the only one attracted to the Eighth Street corridor. Perry Smith, owner and managing member of the Matchbox restaurants, had partners Drew Kim and Ty Neal remain persistent in the fact that the Hill was underserved in terms of good restaurant choices.

“At the time, Sonoma and Belga were their go-to restaurants for dinners with their wives and families,” Smith said. “Outside of that, they found themselves journeying downtown to dine or heading over to Virginia.”

From a grassroots standpoint, Kim kept hearing from neighbors at his local dog park who knew he was a Matchbox partner that there was a desire to have a Matchbox on Capitol Hill.

Smith didn’t stop there. He recently opened Ted’s Bulletin to the streetscape, after hearing many talk about the lack of a nice breakfast option for families, while still catering to the community’s need for a good go-to lunch and dinner spot.

“A funny thing is, we hear neighbors and guests who announce that they once lived in cities like Philly, New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco and are so happy they have a neighborhood diner they can depend on,” Smith said.

Smith and company recently added a third eatery to the block. DC-3 serves hot dogs, sandwiches, cotton candy and ice cream — a perfect spot if you’re longing for the spring months that can seem light-years away.

Smith credits Barracks Row Main Street and the Business Improvement District for the change to the neighborhood, especially the reconstruction of Eastern Market after the devastating 2007 fire.

“Long-time residents are excited the neighborhood is so much more safe, and newer residents are discussing kids programs and schools,” Smith said.

Smith said he likes that the changes to Barracks Row have been due to city initiatives and grassroots efforts.

“Barracks Row has seen such substantial change in the past five years that it could be deemed nothing short of miraculous,” Smith said.